Portsmouth

1 January 1970

Portsmouth slideshow

Report: West Brom Turns to Leicester City Assistant Manager as Alan Pardew Replacement

West Brom's preparation for relegation to the Championship at the conclusion of the season has seen Leicester assistant manager and former Albion player Michael Appleton emerge as the Baggies' potential new boss.

Alan Pardew's tenure at the Hawthorns has left a lot to be desired having won just one league game in 16 attempts since his arrival - leaving Albion eight points adrift of safety with just eight games remaining - all but confirming his exit upon their likely relegation. It ensures eyes have already been cast towards who will be next in line to stop the rot and the Telegraph claim the Foxes assistant manager is highly regarded by the Baggies' chief executive Mark Jenkins, who is set to lead the club's overhaul during the summer.

42-year-old Appleton has managerial experience with Portsmouth, Blackpool, Blackburn and Oxford United and has also spent time working alongside Roberto di Matteo and Roy Hodgson at the Hawthorns, which saw him establish a respectable reputation at the club as a coach.

After a successful stint with Oxford United, Appleton initially linked up with Craig Shakespeare at Leicester prior to the latter's dismissal in October, before working as a joint assistant manager under Claude Puel following his arrival at the King Power Stadium.

West Brom have installed Appleton as one of their leading candidates to rebuild the squad during the summer as Pardew's place at the helm will remain intact until the end of the season, regardless of results.

The Baggies are expecting a number of players to leave during the summer should relegation materialize and Pardew admitted on-loan midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak had to be fined following poor conduct in retaliation to his substitution in the defeat to Leicester last time out.

Pardew said: "Grzegorz came and apologized to me on Tuesday, and to my staff, which is unusual to be honest. I said sometimes an apology isn't quite enough, so I fined him and also said I don't ever want to see it again.

"The selection of the player won't be influenced after that. I told him how disappointed I was, fined him and we moved on."

"I actually really like him as a person and as a footballer and I was surprised at his action. I said, 'You need to see the start of the second half and if you see yourself you might have subbed yourself'. He had a little chuckle," he added.

Michael Appleton is emerging as a serious contender to take over at West Bromwich Albion in the summer, as the club prepare for likely relegation to the Championship. With Alan Pardew expected to leave at the end of Albion’s troubled season, the club are already targeting potential replacements and Appleton is understood to be high on the list. The Leicester assistant manager is highly admired by Mark Jenkins, the West Brom chief executive who will be leading the club’s reboot in the summer, and fits the profile for their next head coach. Appleton is a former Albion player and coach, establishing a fine reputation working alongside first Roberto di Matteo and then Roy Hodgson. He also has managerial experience after spells with Portsmouth, Blackpool , Blackburn and, most recently, Oxford United. The 42-year-old left Oxford last summer to work under Craig Shakespeare at Leicester and is now joint assistant manager in Claude Puel’s backroom staff, following Shakespeare’s dismissal in October. West Brom are believed to have identified Appleton as one of the leading candidates to take charge at the Hawthorns, as part of a huge rebuilding job in the summer. Modern heroes: Who has done most for your club in the last 20 years? Pardew’s position is thought to be safe for the remainder of the season, despite an alarming run of just one league win from 16 games. But Albion anticipate major surgery ahead of next season with a number of players also expected to leave. Pardew takes his team to Bournemouth on Saturday eight points adrift of safety, revealing that he has fined on-loan midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak. The Paris St-Germain star clashed with Pardew last weekend after he was substituted during the 4-1 home defeat to Leicester. Pardew said: "Grzegorz came and apologised to me on Tuesday, and to my staff, which is unusual to be honest. "I said sometimes an apology isn't quite enough, so I fined him and also said I don't ever want to see it again. The selection of the player won't be influenced after that. I told him how disappointed I was, fined him and we moved on. "I actually really like him as a person and as a footballer and I was surprised at his action. I said, 'You need to see the start of the second half and if you see yourself you might have subbed yourself'. He had a little chuckle."

Portsmouth ended Conor Wilkinsons 2016 loan spell because he refused to sing at his initiation

Wilkinson claims his very brief stint at Pompeywas cut short because he didnt wantto exercise his vocal chords

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City 0 Man City 2: David Silva dazzles to put the title in reach... and they'll claim it with victory over United

The sight of Pep Guardiola marching onto the pitch after the final whistle to lecture Leroy Sane said it all: the Manchester City manager wants more. This comfortable victory, earned through two sublime David Silva goals, was not enough in a campaign in which City can break all kinds of Premier League records. And, with the Champions League draw on Friday, still achieve even greater things. City will be in Abu Dhabi when that draw takes place, as they enjoy a break before resuming their campaign against Everton at the end of this month. Win that and it means that they can claim the title in their next fixture – which just happens to be against Manchester United at home on April 7. The countdown is on. Guardiola said that City will “come back stronger” from the Middle East and it sounded like a threat as much as a promise. Just how much stronger can this dazzling City side be? Stoke are no mugs under Paul Lambert and, as they should, they fought for their lives as they desperately try and beat relegation. But they did not even register a shot on target. Interestingly, Guardiola chose to highlight the fact that this result meant City had achieved the double over Stoke for the first time since 1999-2000, and it shone a light on the fact that such records and achievements really do matter to him. Guardiola does not want to just win this league but to achieve new landmarks in doing so. Already City have earned 81 points, the first team to achieve that after 30 games, and the highest-ever points total in the Premier League - Chelsea’s 95 under Jose Mourinho in 2004-05 - is in Guardiola’s sights. City can top 100 points and, with 85 goals already, can beat the record of 103 achieved by Carlo Ancelotti’s Chelsea in 2009-10. A double century - 100 points; 100 goals - is possible. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) This result also means that City surpassed their points total of 78 earned last season. And have done so with eight games to go. But it is not enough. It also matters to Guardiola that City do not relent once the Premier League is won and stay full-on in Europe. There was an insight into that in the way he spoke to Sane, who had wasted chances, and he also called over captain Vincent Kompany to instruct him once Stoke had brought on substitute Peter Crouch. Kompany later joked that he was pretty well aware what that would mean tactically. The goals were worthy of winning any match. They summed up the silky brilliance of City as they cut through Stoke. The first came after just 10 mintes with Fernandinho, fit again and recalled, playing the ball in to Gabriel Jesus who turned and took out three Stoke players with a pass that released Raheem Sterling down the right. Sterling looked up quickly and crossed low for the onrushing Silva who arrived between two more Stoke defenders to side-foot first time into the net. It was breathtaking, marvellous stuff. Manchester City's David Silva, who opened the scoring for the away side, takes on Stoke's Moritz Bauer Credit: PAUL ELLIS/AFP/Getty Images It also quickly set back Stoke’s plan to defend deep and try to counter aggressively, with Jese asked to take on the City centre-halves. Their best outlet was matching up Xherdan Shaqiri against Oleksandr Zinchenko and the Swiss international nutmegged the full-back before teeing up Badou Ndiaye whose shot deflected off Fernandinho’s foot and flew narrowly past the post. So would we have a contest after all? It seemed possible when Jack Butland – in front of the watching England manager Gareth Southgate, who announces his next squad on Thursday – launched a goal-kick which flew over Kompany’s head, with Jese running through. Kyle Walker recovered but toed the ball, looping it over Ederson who back-pedalled to tip it over the cross-bar. Possession: Stoke vs Man City At the other end, though, City racked up chances. After Guardiola’s accusations that his team forgot to attack following the Champions League defeat at home to Basle last week, this was a clear response with Butland turning away a low Fernandinho shot and then watching, relieved, as Sane volleyed just wide. Stoke were, rightly, cheered off at half-time. No-one could fault their effort. They had worked hard, they had bitten into tackles and tried to close down their opponents, even if there was always that sense that City were a simple shift through the gears away from extending their advantage. And they did just that. Sterling won the ball back and found Fernandinho who played it in to Silva. The midfielder’s first touch deftly picked out Jesus who lifted the ball across the area. Should Butland have come from his goal quicker? Instead he hesitated but Silva was always going to get there first and he guided the ball into the net. David Silva spins to half-volley in the second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images City poured forward. De Bruyne struck the side-netting from a tight angle when through, then Sterling tricked his way beyond Kostas Stafylidis and dumped Geoff Cameron to the turf – only for his close-range shot to be saved by Butland with his outstretched leg. There was more: a Zinchenko shot beaten away, a curling Sane effort just wide, Walker slicing wildly when clear and Butland saving from Sane. Stoke desperately needed some respite and almost achieved it when Crouch headed a free-kick back across goal for Maxim Choupo-Moting who headed it back again to Bruno Martins Indi, only for the defender to blast his volley over from four yards. So there would be no late drama except when Sterling provoked an angry response as he whisked away possession, following a drop-ball after a clash of heads, and ran through on goal only to be tackled by a furious Ndiaye. It led to some pushing and shoving. It was the only aggravation this imperious City side faced all evening. 9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City vs Manchester City, Premier League: live score updates

9:55PM Full time Manchester City restore their lead to 16 points with a masterly, indeed masterful, victory over 19th-placed Stoke who are not unique in being comprehensively outclassed. David Silva was brilliant, Raheem Sterling also played very well. 9:53PM 90+5 min Keepball from City for 90 seconds until Bauer picks off a pass from David Silva. They work it up the right and Bauer spears in a deep cross that bypasses Crouch. The ref has seen enough and emits three peeps from his Acme Thunderer. 9:51PM 90+4 min City corner on the right. The Silvas twain and De Bruyne knock it about and go all the way back to Ederson who starts a foray up the left with Zinchenko who then move sit back to safety in midfield. 9:49PM 90+2 min We'll have five minutes added because of Otamendi's cut. Stafylidis lets fly from 30 yards and cracks his shot into Otamendi. 9:48PM 90 min City sub: Ilkay Gundogan on, Gabriel Jesus off. David Silva is named man of the match. 9:47PM 88 min Stoke sub: Ramadan Sobhi on for Geoff Cameron. Seems a little pointless and cruel. You've had naff all football under Lambert then he chucks you on for 90 seconds of a game you've long lost? Must be tempting to tell him to get stuffed. 9:44PM 86 min Stoke corner on the right, curled by Shaqiri straight down Ederson's throat. He sparks a rapid City break from which they're caught offside, back come Stoke and Komany makes the only telling tackle that has been required of him all night. 9:42PM 84 min City sub: Sterling, who has played very well, departs to a chorus of disapproval. Bernardo Silva takes his place. 9:41PM 82 min Don't know how Sterling missed that, or what Jon Moss said to City at the drop ball. But even City's fans went a but quiet after it. 9:39PM 79 min Jonathan Moss restarts the game with a drop ball 40 yards out. City contest it, Stoke don't because they think they were going to have possession. Sterling hares off towards goal with Ndiaye chasing him looking intent on whacking him with more than an etiquette guide. Sterling, with Jesus in support, drops his shoulder and veers to the right to try to round Butland which gives Ndiaye the opening to whip the ball behind for a corner. All hell then breaks loose about City's alleged chicanery. 9:35PM 78 min Otamendi is back on his feet having wrapped his head in Elastoplast. 9:35PM 76 min Sane stings Butland's palms with a flayed shot then there's quite a stoppage when Otamendi collides with Stafylidis as they fought for De Bruyne's cross. The latter is OK having caught his opponent with his brow, Otamendi is still down with a gash on his scalp. 9:32PM 74 min Joe Allen bundles over Jesus in the centre-circle and the ref waves play on. De Bruyne threads a pass down the right for Sterling's run into the box and he decides to take the shot on from an angle of about 45 degrees and shanks it almost perpendicular. The ref then goes back and books Allen. 9:30PM 72 min Sterling dribbles through the box on the right, shimmies his hips and sells Stafylidis a dummy that causes him to slide in, miss the ball and catch it with his arm as he slid past. Sterling didn't stop and carried on until his pass towards the spot was blocked. 9:29PM 71 min Otamendi outmuscles Crouch to win the ball and sets off on a gambol upfield to start an attack down the left. Stoke see it out. 9:27PM 68 min Stafylidis hits a long diagonal up for Crouch who wins the aerial battle but was offside. At last they have a focal point for their strategy. 9:26PM 67 min Man City fans are now singing their Yaya Delilah song. Talk about cultural appropriation. 9:24PM 64 min Bauer takes an inswinger, whipping it a foot or so beyond the far post. Crouch wins it comfortably and squares it back across the box. Choupo-Moting wins the second header and diverts it back across goal to Martins Indi who wellies his right-foot volley from six yards over the bar. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Bruno Martins Indi, 64 min) 9:21PM 62 min Good pass from Shaqiri frees Jese down the left. He doubles back on Otamendi who hacks him down. The ref plays the advantage then brings it back. That's Jese's last touch. Off he goes to be replaced for the free-kick he won by Peter Crouch. David Silva scores his and City's second Credit: Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images 9:18PM 59 min From the corner Sterling shifts it to Sane who takes a touch to make some space for the shot then cuts his foot across it and sends it swerving in towards goal then away again then in again. Butland does well to save it. Miss: Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (Leroy Sané, 59 min) 9:16PM 58 min Sterling attempts to Ricky Villa his way through the box on the right, twists Stafylidis' blood, but can only find Butland's shins with his shot. 9:15PM 56 min Fernandinho makes a lung-bursting 60-yard run, feeds De Bruyne down the left then continues his charge into the box to take the return after his team-mate's lovely pass cut out Bruno Martins Indi. He was a little too wide to squeeze his post in at the near post but tried anyway, stabbing it into the side-netting. 9:12PM 53 min What happened here 20 years ago gave birth to the 'We're not really here' era and Man City's fans give it a good airing now, followed by their C-bomb Mourinho song. Wildean it ain't. 9:10PM 52 min Gorgeous finish from David Silva, leaping up to take the return in a one-two with Gabriel Jesus. The ball bounced up to chest height but he acrobatically hooked in a flying volley as Bauer, trying to make up for being caught out of position and Butland closed in on him at pace. Stoke 0 - 2 Man City (David Silva, 50 min) 9:07PM Goal!! Stoke 0-2 Man City (David Silva) 9:07PM 49 min Man City corner after opening Stoke up on the left by virtue of David Silva's curling pass into Sane's stride. He takes a touch with his right that actually sows him down and he has to improvise, stopping then shifting it over to the right where Sterling wins a corner. 9:04PM 47 min Shaqiri's got his Toblerone-shaped boots on tonight, slicing an attempted ball over the top for Jese's burst up the right into touch. 9:03PM 46 min No changes. Man City kick off, rolling the ball back to Kompany who chips it diagonally over to the left where Sane wins the header, beating Bauer aerially, but Stoke then win the second ball. 8:59PM Southampton have sacked Mauricio Pellegrino Marco Silva? Slavisa Jokanovic would be ideal but I doubt he would leave Fulham. 8:53PM Half-time shot maps Stoke vs Man City shots on goal Stoke vs Man City shots on goal And the weighted touch positions to illustrate City's dominance of possession and territory: Average touch positions (half time) 8:50PM Half time Some snarl and a lot of huff and puff from Stoke and it has been a pretty entertaining ground. Man City's class has told in the final third. David Silva has been whack-a-mole-ing all over the shop. Both left-backs look vulnerable and Stoke have had a couple of glimmers but they need the final ball, from Shaqiri largely, to be better ... perfect, in fact, if they're going to score. 8:47PM 45 min Shaqiri spots Choupo-Moting's run into the box from the left touchline and hits an isnwinging left-footer from the right towards the far post. He significantly overclubs it and smears it over Ederson and into touch. 8:46PM 44 min Stoke give the ball away cheaply with a panicked clearance and their fans are livid. They get away with their indiscretion and, via a free kick, work the ball towards the City goal on the left. City defend it comfortably and knock it long themselves. Martins Indi is all over Jesus though that's not the referee's interpretation as he allows the centre-half to win the ball. 8:43PM 42 min Stafylidis is being beasted on the left side of Stoke's defence and is allowing City unimpeded access. Once again De Bruyne gets behind him, centres to Sane who roundhouses a left foot volley on the run just wide. Miss: Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (Leroy Sané, 42 min) 8:41PM 41 min Smart save from Butland, diving low to his left to block Fernandinho's bunny-hopper of a shot. Then De Bruyne smacks a shot wide. 8:40PM 39 min Both Ederson and Butland have to come sprinting out of their areas for some sweeper-keeper action that inflames/tickles the crowd but they were pretty unruffled, Ederson particularly. 8:39PM 36 min Butland kicks it long, Choupo Moting beats Kompany to it but flicks rather than heads it on. The ball bounces through towards the City box and Jese gives chase. Walker tacks in from the right, follows the unusual flight of the ball and gets a toe to it and inadvertently knocks up an up and under that threatens to drift under the bar. Ederson scoots back to tip it over. 8:36PM 33 min Martins Indi plays a blind, preposterous, hospital pass to Butland without spotting De Bruyne's scavenging run into the box. Butland sprints off his line and beats De Bruyne to it by an inch to block tackle his attempted stab with a very strong challenge. De Bruyne's boot rakes his metatarsals and leaves the keeper hobbling momentarily but he soon recovers. David Silva scores the first Credit: Manchester City FC 8:33PM 31 min Terrific pass between Zinchenko and Otamendi by Shaqiri that Jese races to meet. The bounce takes him a touch too wide and he can't warp his foot around it to give his shot the power or precision it needed to beat Ederson. 8:31PM 28 min Zinchenko, the baby-faced tactical fouler, disrupts Stoke's attempts to take a quick throw-in he had just conceded. Shaqiri wants him sanctioned but the referee restricts himself to a telling-off instead. Shaqiri and Zinchenko tangle Credit: Simon Stacpoole/Offside 8:28PM 26 min De Bruyne crosses from the right and Silva has made another menacing, penetrative run. Cameron has gone with him this time and the delivery is a foot behind him. Silva essays a bicycle kick but doesn't connect, Stoke dig it out of the box where Fernandinho is first to it. He responds to cries from City fans of 'Shoot!' with a wild shank over the bar. 8:26PM 23 min Sane has been quiet so far but goes off on a crossfield run, plays it to Fernandinho and darts beyond Sterling to overload Stafylidis. The intended pass to free him is intercepted by Stafylidis who clips it up to Shaqiri. His touch deserts him and he bludgeons his offload back to David Silva who angles a pass from the right towards the penalty spot where Gabriel Jesus is heading for after tearing past Zouma. But he's gone too soon. Offside. 8:22PM 20 min Stoke come close when Shaqiri, in the right corner, megs Zinchenko, runs round the inside then cuts back a daisycutter to the 18-yard line. Ndiaye pulls his shot as he aims for the far post and a deflection takes the bobbler wide for a corner that City defend well/Stoke waste. 8:20PM 18 min City should have had a free-kick on the edge of the box when Stafylidis pulls down Sterling, his hand gripping his shoulder. The referee mistakes Sterling for Dele Alli and waves away all legitimate protestations and the Stoke crowd boos him for the sin of being fouled. Here's the goal: David Silva steers home Sterling's cross Credit: Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Couldridge 8:17PM 16 min Zinchenko, who was culpable of a filthy foul on Eden Hazard eight days ago, clatters into Shaqiri very late here, sliding in to chop him down at the ankles. Free kick. Possession: Stoke vs Man City 8:15PM 14 min Very good work from Ndiaye who tracked Sterling's run into the box as he received a pass from Walker's cute knock-down. He made himself a second skin without actually fouling him as he harried Sterling into touch. 8:12PM 11 min Lovely pass round the corner from Jesus takes Stafylidis, who was too far forward, out of the game and finds Sterling who has bombed round the back on the right. Sterling picks his head up and centres calmly for David Silva who sidefoots his firm finish on the run with his left past Butland. Stoke 0 - 1 Man City (David Silva, 10 min) 8:09PM Goal! Stoke 0-1 Man City (David Silva) 8:09PM 9 min Choupo-Moting steps in off the left and wins a header, knocking it on for Jese to run on to but the centre-forward didn't read his intentions. 8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Stoke City vs Manchester City, Premier League: live score updates

8:08PM 7 min Direct and tigerish in the tackle, the orders of the day. Ndiaye snaps into one 25 yards out, left of centre and is penalised. De Bruyne takes it and works a routine, hooking it to the 18-yard line where Otamendi was lingering all alone. He flicked it two yards further forward hoping to find Kompany but it didn't get there ad Stoke play it up to Jese, Allen finding him with a fine pass. Walker sticks to him and eventually hassles him out of possession. 8:06PM 5 min When Sterling is penalised for a shove, Butland spears another free-kick long ball up for Jese who doesn't have the height or timing of jump to beat Kompany. Already Davie Provan thinks Stoke need Crouch if they're going to ply this way. 8:04PM 4 min He distributes it to Bauer who tries to steer it up the right for Shaqiri to run at Zinchenko but he can't control the long pass. Direct is the order of the day for Stoke. 8:03PM 3 min De Bruyne strips the ball off Ndiaye 40 yards from goal but the Senegal midfielder sticks with him and forces him to lay it off. City try to thread a diagonal for Jesus's run into the box but Butland is on to it and gets there first. 8:02PM 1 min Jese kicks off for Stoke. Vibrant, noisy atmospheer at the Brit tonight. Delilah is fighting it out with Blue Moon. Stoke whack it up the left and immediately lose possession. City move up the right, 10 yards infield until Ndiaye tackles De Bruyne and Stoke quickly knock it over the top again but to no benefit. 7:56PM Kurt Zouma Spoke to Matt Law about facing Manchester City tonight: "This was the worst defeat I’ve ever had in my career in football.“But it can happen and I forgot about it, and I don’t want to think about it. I don’t think about that game. “Man City are a top side. But our job is to make it difficult and they have to feel we want to win the game. The mistakes we made in the 7-2 we can’t make again and we have to try to win to make the fans happy and us happy as well.” 7:37PM A truncated Monday Night Football No Keith Hernandez tonight. Gary Neville flies solo. Paul Lambert is wearing his Gianluca Vialli schoolboy grey V-neck. Pep has his yellow ribbon close to his heart but beneath his jacket. Pep Guardiola watches the warm-up Credit: REUTERS/Hannah McKay Lambert says Stoke have to 'play ugly' and 'run more than they've ever run before'. 7:32PM Your teams in black and white Stoke Butland; Bauer, Zouma, Martins Indi, Stafylidis; Allen, Cameron, Ndiaye; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting. Substitutes Haugaard, Johnson, Adam, Shawcross, Fletcher, Crouch, Sobhi. Man City Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Zinchenko, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, Sane. Substitutes Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo Silva, Toure. Referee Jonathan Moss (Leeds) 7:03PM Man City XI Three changes: Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Fernandinho return for Aymeric Laporte, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan. How we line-up tonight! City XI | Ederson, Walker, Kompany (C), Otamendi, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Silva, De Bruyne, Sterling, Sane, Jesus Subs | Bravo, Danilo, Stones, Gundogan, Laporte, Bernardo, Yaya Toure Presented by @HAYSWorldwide#scfcvcity#mancitypic.twitter.com/niKExUKO9R— Manchester City (@ManCity) March 12, 2018 7:02PM Stoke City team news �� One change for the Potters against @ManCity this evening as @JeseRodriguez10 replaces @MameDiouf99. STARTING XI: Butland; Bauer, Zouma, M. Indi, Stafylidis; Badou, Cameron, Allen; Shaqiri, Jese, Choupo-Moting.#SCFC ��⚪️ pic.twitter.com/E7ngnPmI9t— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) March 12, 2018 One change: Jese in for Diouf. 6:13PM Good evening Paul Lambert has certainly patched Stoke's badly leaking defence since taking over from Mark Hughes and a victory and four draws from six games is a very creditable return in theory. Yet when you look at those games more closely - a defeat by Bournemouth, draws with Watford, Southampton, Brighton and Leicester to go with that victory over Huddersfield, it is hard not to conclude that a side in deep relegation shtook really needed to do better against that calibre of opposition. They start tonight in 19th place against the league leaders, only a point off 17th but with a run of fixtures that brings them Everton at home, Arsenal away and Spurs at home after tonight's meeting with the team that whacked them 7-2 in the autumn. Avoiding a shellacking will be an improvement on the beating Hughes took from his former club but points are also a priority because three of their last five games pit them against other sides fighting for survival - West Ham, Palace and Swansea plus unenviable encounters with Burnley and Liverpool. Victory for Manchester City will extend their lead to 16 points with eight to play and allows them to keep their chance of clinching the title in the Manchester derby on course should United slip up in their next two games. Gabriel Jesus starts tonight in the absence of Sergio Agüero. There will be no 200th goal for Manchester City's great centre-forward but Stoke will be wary of coming up against Jesus again after his sensational, slippery performance back in October when he scored twice. Twenty years ago these two met in the last match of the 1997-98 season in the second tier of English professional football, known back then, confusingly, as Division One. Manchester City were 23rd on 45 points, Stoke 22nd on 46, Port Vale 21st on 46 and Portsmouth one place higher with the same number of points. "Knowing City's almost comical capacity for failure, they will probably win only for Port Vale and Portsmouth to do likewise," wrote the anonymous preview writer in the Sunday Telegraph. Daily Telegraph match report confirming relegation of Stoke and Man City in 1998 Credit: THE TELEGRAPH And lo, it came to pass at the Britannia Stadium. Manchester City won 5-2 , Shaun Goater scored two, Paul Dickov, Lee 'Badbuy' Bradbury and Kevin Horlock one each for the visitors while Peter Thorne grabbed two for Stoke. But Port Vale won 4-0 away at Huddersfield and, more gallingly still, Portsmouth, under the management of Alan Ball, who had overseen City's relegation from the Premier League when he miscalculated what they needed from their final match, beat Bradford 3-1. So, both Stoke and Man City went down with Reading. For all their toils this season, the world of Stoke City, just as much as Manchester City, has been transformed this past 20 years ... just not as radically. Back with the teams when they are announced at 7pm.

Scouting the NCAA Tournament: One NBA Prospect for All 68 Teams

If you haven’t noticed by now, it’s March. If you like college basketball, you’ve probably already filled out a bracket and analyzed every obscure statistic in the process. But if you’re an NBA-only hoops fan, maybe you haven’t. Maybe your favorite team is in full tank. Maybe you need a handy guide breaking down which players to watch in the tournament. Or maybe you need one that examines one NBA prospect to watch on every single team.

As the road to the Final Four in San Antonio begins this week, The Crossover’s Front Office is diving deeper, and with the tournament on tap and a ton of talent on display, here are the players most worth keeping an eye on, from the obvious to the extremely obscure. These prospects are not created equal, and the further down the list you go, the weirder this gets. Lots of teams have more than one prospect—this exercise isn’t perfect. But if you need help scouting the tourney, look no further. We’ll start with the top seeds and work our way down.

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ONE SEEDS

VILLANOVA: Mikal Bridges, F | Junior

Bridges broke out in full as a two-way force this season and is pivotal to Villanova’s very real title hopes as both a secondary scorer and a shutdown defender. His ability to defend four positions on the perimeter and score at all three levels has led NBA scouts viewing him as a safe bet to have a long career. The only glaring hole in his game is creating his own shot. He’s looking like a late-lottery selection at this point.

VIRGINIA: De’Andre Hunter, F | Freshman (RS)

It can be difficult for individual talent to shine in Virginia’s well-oiled, disciplined offensive scheme, but Hunter’s glimpses as a 20-year-old redshirt freshman have already made him a draftable player in the eyes of the NBA. With a strong body, great defensive playmaking instincts and nice rotation on his ball, Hunter is the type of player who could swing games in the tournament, and see his stock rise accordingly. UVA hasn’t fully turned him loose, but Hunter’s substantial ability is clear.

KANSAS: Devonte Graham, PG | Senior

The engine that keeps the Jayhawks running, Graham tallied 18 points and 13 assists against West Virginia in the conference title game and is sitting on the cusp of the first round. While he may not evolve into a star, given his struggles as an isolation scorer (he’s shooting under 40% from the field) his contributions as a ballhandler are essential to Kansas’s three-point heavy attack. He profiles nicely as a rotation player and can help separate himself from a good pack of point guards in the middle of the draft.

XAVIER: Trevon Bluiett, SG | Senior

Based on pure production, Bluiett’s résumé is solid: he’s shot 42% from three this season, had a number of huge games and really maximized himself as a college star. Below-average athletic ability—not talent—has always been the issue with him. He may not be able to defend his position at the NBA level, but one of his heat-check games makes Xavier a threat to beat anyone on a given day.

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TWO SEEDS

DUKE: Marvin Bagley, PF | Freshman

Although Bagley is unlikely to be the draft’s top choice, he’s certainly lived up to the hype when it comes to numbers, putting together a prolific one-and-done season and propping up an elite offense. His offensive ceiling and aggressive rebounding are inarguably intriguing, but he’s been a ball-stopper in the post and a ball-watcher on defense. He has a ways to go in terms of learning the game in order to evolve into a star. Regardless, he’ll be one of the first names off the board in June.

NORTH CAROLINA: Cameron Johnson, F | Junior

In his first season with the Heels after grad transferring from Pitt, Johnson has been a key complementary floor-spacer and scorer, though he runs hot and cold. He has appealing size for a shooter and one year of eligibility left. Though he’s already 22, he may want to come back, diversify his offensive production and become a more consistent threat next season. But with his tools, Johnson will end up someone’s 3-and-D dart throw at worst.

CINCINNATI: Jacob Evans, G/F | Junior

Evans’s game embodies Cincy’s hard-nosed philosophy. He provides physical defense and good anticipation coupled with an offensive game that’s effective, despite being sort of a mixed bag. He can be highly inconsistent and does nothing on a truly elite level, but if his 40% three-point clip translates to the NBA, he should be able to fill a useful supporting role. The Bearcats are Final Four contenders.

PURDUE: Carsen Edwards, PG | Sophomore

The Boilermakers will go as Edwards does in March, and his plucky, high energy game has begun to turn heads among NBA scouts. He’s a dangerous three-point shooter off screens and constant threat to attack off the bounce despite being undersized. Edwards plays with a lot of poise for a sophomore, and has an appealing toughness about him that can be contagious. He’s the primary shot-creator for Purdue, and is a prospect of interest, though more likely for next year’s draft.

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THREE SEEDS

MICHIGAN STATE: Jaren Jackson, C | Freshman

Jackson struggled at the Big Ten tournament, but will be among the first six or seven players drafted in June thanks to his defensive versatility and clear offensive potential. He’s inherited high expectations with his flashes of brilliance, able to shoot from outside and displaying hints of ability off the dribble. On the other side, Jackson blocks and alters shots, defends ably in space and is a great fit for the modern NBA. To make it to San Antonio, the Spartans need him to step up.

MICHIGAN: Moritz Wagner, C | Junior

After helping guide the Wolverines to nine straight wins and a Big Ten tournament title, Wagner is making another case for himself as a prospect after earning a combine invite last year. His variety of offensive skills at center stands out, as he’s able to pick and pop, hit threes and attack closeouts. His defense and rebounding are another story. Wagner is likely in the second–round mix if he comes out this year.

TEXAS TECH: Zhaire Smith, SG | Freshman

A virtual unknown coming into the season, Smith emerged as the standout prospect on a tough Red Raiders team. He’s had his fair share of nice moments, capable of highlight-reel athletic plays and explosive dunks while displaying nice agility on defense. Smith doesn’t create much of his own offense at all right now, which is not insignificant. But as a high-energy utility guy, he’s off to a good start. He’s probably best off returning for another year, but is an intriguing name for the 2019 draft.

TENNESSEE: Kyle Alexander, C | Junior

Though Alexander only plays about half his team’s minutes, his shot-blocking presence and ability on both ends of the glass can be a major game-changer. At 6’11” with a 7’5” wingspan and 9’2” standing reach, well, you can see why the NBA is interested. He’s still a project, probably for next season, but his impressive tools could make him a nice defensive-oriented role player in due time.

FOUR SEEDS

ARIZONA: DeAndre Ayton, C | Freshman

The likely No. 1 pick in June’s draft and rail-to-rail the top prospect on our Big Board all season, Ayton was downright transcendent on Saturday night before the tournament, leading the Wildcats to a conference title with 32 points and 18 rebounds against USC. It goes without saying he’s playing his best basketball at the right time, able to dominate with a rare combination of physicality and skill. The Wildcats have been inconsistent defensively all season, but if Ayton is at his best, and it seems he will be, they’ll be an extremely difficult out. Enjoy his final college games.

WICHITA STATE: Landry Shamet, PG | Sophomore

Shamet’s savvy playmaking and knockdown shooting (44% from outside) have him on the cusp of the first round, and have Wichita State hoping for another deep tournament run. He’s not an elite athlete, but has few holes in his game otherwise. He’s an extremely efficient scorer and quality jump shooter with nice size for a ball-handler. He can really help his stock if the Shockers get hot—a scenario that has historical precedent.

GONZAGA: Rui Hachimura, F | Sophomore

Hachimura has come off the bench all season, but he’s a huge spark when he’s playing aggressive and is a potential X-factor for another deep March run for the Zags. His body, athleticism and scoring instincts are strengths, but his jumper (4 of 24 from three all year) is a major work in progress. He may be best suited for the 2019 draft, but don’t rule out a breakout tournament making things interesting.

AUBURN: Chuma Okeke, F | Freshman

Okeke has supplied the Tigers with a bit of everything this season, averaging a double-double per-40 minutes and leading the team with a 41.8% three-point clip. With Anfernee McLemore sidelined, Okeke will need to hold down the interior and offer some balance, and he’ll have a major platform to raise his profile. The former four-star recruit is an interesting long-term name to track.

FIVE SEEDS

KENTUCKY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG | Freshman

Less-heralded than some of his freshman peers, Gilgeous-Alexander has been a revelation, emerging mid-season as the Wildcats’ steadying force. He has great size for his position, fantastic defensive instincts and a good feel for finding the open man. His jump shot is still questionable, but his sense of pace and creativity attacking the rim have really come on as strengths. He’s a likely first-rounder and can continue helping himself here, on the heels of a sublime SEC tourney showing.

WEST VIRGINIA: Jevon Carter, PG | Senior

The heart of the Mountaineers’ high-pressure scheme, Carter is already viewed as a plus–NBA defender (3.2 steals per-40). He has the mentality and chops to step in as a specialist early in his career, but needs to round out his offensive game and continue shooting threes at a quality clip to make it happen. He’s a gritty player, and it’s easy to fall in love with Carter’s intangibles. West Virginia’s offense will often sink or swim with him.

OHIO STATE: Keita Bates-Diop, PF | RS Junior

Opinions are mixed on Bates-Diop’s NBA potential, but he’s been outstanding as the focal point of the Buckeyes’ offense and a major reason for the program’s quick revival under Chris Holtmann. He can step out and shoot the three or utilize his length and footwork in the mid-post, making him a tough cover. He’s the key to Ohio State’s hopes for a deep run.

CLEMSON: Elijah Thomas, F/C | Junior

The Tigers’ best pro prospect, senior forward Donte Grantham, is sidelined with an ACL injury. They’re thin up front as a result, and the 6’9” Thomas, an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker, is the key to winning the interior battle. He needs another year of college to really emerge as a prospect, but his toughness and defensive numbers stand out.

SIX SEEDS

MIAMI: Lonnie Walker, SG | Freshman

An eye-popping athlete, Walker excels at attacking the basket and making acrobatic plays and will be a first-round pick should he turn pro. His contributions have been inconsistent and his overall offensive feel needs to progress, but his potential as a slasher is evident, and he has the strength and length to be a useful defender on the wing. A breakout tournament would help his case as a lottery pick.

FLORIDA: Jalen Hudson, SG | Junior

Hudson became more than just a three-point specialist this season, excelling in spot-up situations and attacking closeouts. He’s capable of swinging games when he gets hot from outside (41% from three) and has to be accounted for at all times. Defensively he’s not a standout. The Gators are reliant on their potent attack, and will need him to do some damage to punch their ticket to the second weekend.

TCU: Kenrich Williams, F | Senior

Though Williams is already 23, his well-rounded contributions and overall feel for the game haven’t gone unnoticed by scouts, and he’s a potential creative sleeper pick late in this year’s draft. He’s the glue that holds the Horned Frogs together, pacing the team on the glass, shooting 40% from outside, tallying up assists as a secondary playmaker and defending a wide range of opponents. He’s sneaky good.

HOUSTON: Rob Gray Jr., PG | Senior

Gray’s natural scoring talent and improved setup skills have Houston looking like a threat to reach the second weekend. While he regressed as a three-point shooter, his overall offensive profile remains strong, particularly for a 6’1” guard. He turns 24 before draft night and will likely have to take a long route to the NBA, but a good showing in the tournament certainly won’t hurt.

SEVEN SEEDS

TEXAS A&M: Robert Williams, C | Sophomore

Blessed with tantalizing physical ability but a frustrating habit of disappearing on offense, Williams will be a first–round pick in June but is far from a sure thing. He plays above the rim as easily as anyone in college hoops and can really dominate the glass, but is a tertiary scoring option for the Aggies and often fades entirely when not involved offensively. It’s not the best situation for him, but his team needs him to get it going.

ARKANSAS: Daniel Gafford, C | Freshman

Capable of vicious slams and out-of-nowhere rejections, Gafford burst onto the scene as a one-and-done candidate after coming in as a lesser-known recruit. He’s got an NBA frame and is a nice fit as a rim-protecting dive man at the next level, finishing top-20 nationally in block rate and shooting 61% from the field. His offensive skills are rudimentary and he’s a poor free throw shooter, but there’s a lot to like about the framework of his overall game.

NEVADA: Caleb Martin, G/F | Junior

Not to be confused with identical twin and teammate Cody (you’ll confuse them anyway), Caleb is regarded as the superior prospect to his brother. He was outstanding in just about every type of offensive situation this year, showing some playmaking ability and good scoring instincts using ball screens. Teams are figuring out what to make of his massive uptick in three-point shooting, but Martin has an outside chance at getting drafted either this year or next.

RHODE ISLAND: Jared Terrell, G | Senior

A burly ballhandler, Terrell paces the Rams offensively, shooting 41% from deep this season. He only shot 45% on two-pointers, but his mix of size and smarts has some appeal, and he was a useful secondary playmaker. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he earned an invite to Portsmouth.

EIGHT SEEDS

MISSOURI: Michael Porter Jr., F | Freshman

It’s unclear how healthy he actually is, but Porter Jr. has the talent to swing a game or two in the tournament. His decision to return from back surgery will give scouts a useful window into where he’s at physically and mentally, although his first game back against Georgia yielded mixed results. Watch him closely, hope he stays healthy, and don’t hold a poor performance against him. Barring bad medicals, he’s still going to be an early draft selection.

CREIGHTON: Khyri Thomas, SG | Junior

With a strong body and ideal length for his position, Thomas made his name as a high-end defensive player and coupled that with 42.5% shooting from deep. He’s an explosive athlete and an obvious candidate to fill an NBA supporting role, with the main knocks on him being shot creation and change of direction off the bounce. Marcus Foster leads the Bluejays in scoring, but Thomas is the better long-term prospect and a potential first-rounder.

VIRGINIA TECH: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G | Freshman

Alexander-Walker was a hot name coming into the season as a potential one-and-done, but despite some nice skills he’s far from ready physically or mentally to make the NBA leap. He’s a big, strong, fundamental combo guard with a good understanding of the game, but can be extremely passive and doesn’t always pop at a glance. The Hokies win by committee, but it would be nice to see him take a step forward when it matters.

SETON HALL: Desi Rodriguez, SF | Senior

Rodriguez is a capable, hard-nosed scorer likely to receive interest from the NBA in summer league. Though his body needs some work and he missed time with injuries, he can be a load when he gets going toward the basket. He’s a dangerous college matchup, though at 6’6” it’s unlikely all of his strengths translate at the next level. He’s a fun watch when he has it going and plays with a definite edge.

NINE SEEDS

ALABAMA: Collin Sexton, PG | Freshman

Sexton’s mini-tear through the SEC tourney has become a bit of a storyline, and he’s one of the few players in the tournament capable of swinging a game with his solo act. The by-himself nature of his game is where scouts’ opinions are split. Whether Sexton can become more of a setup man for others will help determine his eventual role, but he’s a likely lottery pick thanks to his scoring ability and toughness.

NC STATE: Omer Yurtseven, C | Sophomore

Undoubtedly the Wolfpack’s top pro prospect, Yurtseven is a frustrating player to watch at times but has a lot of talent as a low-post scorer. His body improved this season and he’s a capable finisher with either hand, but lacks much on-court fire and doesn’t play physically, struggling to get to the foul line as much as he probably should. He earned a combine invite a year ago, but his stock has trended down since.

KANSAS STATE: Dean Wade, PF | Junior

The other D-Wade finished top-10 in the Big 12 in scoring, rebounding, steals and three-point percentage. His versatility and size are certainly interesting from an NBA perspective, and while he was held out of the conference tourney semis due to a foot injury, he’s expected to be healthy in time to face Creighton. If he’s out, keep an eye on Barry Brown instead.

FLORIDA STATE: Phil Cofer, F | Senior

There’s no surefire NBA player on the Seminoles’ roster, but Cofer has the physical ability to compete at the next level, standing 6’8” with long arms and a thick upper body. He should be a better rebounder, and it’s doubtful his three-point shooting translates fully to the longer line, but a summer league invite certainly isn’t out of the question.

TEN SEEDS

TEXAS: Mohamed Bamba, C | Freshman

The most imposing shot-blocker in college hoops, Bamba returned from his toe injury during the Big 12 tourney and will have had another week to recover by the time Texas faces Nevada. When he’s at his best, it’s must-watch basketball, and his sheer length and developing skill set makes him a coveted draft prospect. He’s projected to be a top-five pick.

OKLAHOMA: Trae Young, PG | Freshman

Young’s historic first half of the season tailed off drastically as defenses began to key on him, but he’s still a highly dangerous three-point shooter and playmaker and will make opponents’ film sessions miserable, beginning with Rhode Island. He’ll be a lottery pick regardless, but this will likely be his last chance to get loose as a Sooner, and should make for great theater.

BUTLER: Kamar Baldwin, PG | Sophomore

There’s no high-end pro talent on the Bulldogs’ roster, but Baldwin’s youth, toughness and scoring ability make him a player to follow over the next couple seasons. He’s a good rebounder and tough defender, but regressed as a three-point shooter while taking on a bigger share of the offense this season.

PROVIDENCE: Kyron Cartwright, PG | Senior

After sparking the Friars to a surprise run to the Big East finals, Cartwright will be pressed to keep that momentum rolling in the tournament. He’s just 5’11” and can play a bit out of control at times, but he’s a good passer, capable shooter and adds a degree of unpredictability to an otherwise uninspiring rotation. He may have punched his ticket to some NBA workouts, but is still a long shot.

ELEVEN SEEDS

UCLA: Aaron Holiday, PG | Junior

The younger brother of NBA guards Jrue and Justin, Holiday has been on a tear as a scorer of late, potent from outside (43%) and a smart facilitator who knows how to pick his spots. His lack of ideal height and explosiveness creates some limitations, but he’s played his way into first-round conversations among scouts. A big tournament could really help him.

SYRACUSE: Tyus Battle, SG | Sophomore

Seen as a potential second-round pick, Battle can fill up a box score, but he takes a lot of bad shots, and his numbers are a bit inflated by playing essentially 40 minutes per game all season. Some of it is situational, as Syracuse chooses to run an inordinate amount of offense through him. He’s athletic and can definitely score the ball, and placed in a different context will be worth re-assessing.

SAN DIEGO STATE: Malik Pope, F | Senior

A skilled 6’10” combo forward, Pope has been on NBA radars seemingly forever. A history of knee issues have hampered his college career. He’s inconsistent as a scorer and plays as more of a big for the Aztecs, but rebounds well and has the ability to stroke threes. Given his unique tools, he’ll end up with a chance to make the league. On the heels of a surprise run in the Mountain West tourney, Pope has a nice opportunity to leave a final impression before heading into pre-draft workouts.

ST. BONAVENTURE: Jaylen Adams, PG | Senior

If you want a sneaky guard-anchored team that can pull an upset or two, look no further than the Bonnies. Adams is a heady playmaker and deadly three-point shooter who has a chance to get drafted in the second round, having displayed growth and consistency over his four years in the A-10. He’s a fun watch, and could carve out a backup role at the next level.

ARIZONA STATE: Tra Holder, PG | Senior

The Sun Devils snuck into the tournament thanks largely to Holder, who led them to both their pivotal résumé wins with 40 points against Xavier and 30 against Kansas. He’s probably too small to make it long-term, but he’s a good decision-maker with the quickness to get to the foul line and get himself open off the dribble. He’s still an NBA longshot, but he’s the kind of guy you want to root for.

LOYOLA-CHICAGO: Donte Ingram, F | Senior

A crucial role player for a Ramblers squad with legitimate second-weekend potential, Ingram is a useful floor-spacer and all-conference player with a nice level of versatility to. He’s smooth, has a nice lefthanded stroke and led Loyola in rebounding, too. His effective, low-maintenance game should play overseas somewhere.

TWELVE SEEDS

DAVIDSON: Peyton Aldridge, F | Senior

The Wildcats are one of the hottest teams around after rolling to an A-10 tournament title, and Aldridge’s superbly efficient scoring is a big reason why. He’s a deadly shooter from outside, a willing rebounder and makes few mistakes, making him a great candidate for a Portsmouth invite and a shot to make the NBA. He lacks a ton of athleticism at 6’8”, but he’s definitely talented and makes Davidson an interesting sleeper pick.

MURRAY STATE: Ja Morant, G | Freshman

Morant, an 18-year-old true freshman, logged a massive chunk of Murray State’s minutes this season as a lead guard. He’s got a long build with nice change-of-direction ability off the dribble and averaged 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in an inarguably impressive start to his career. File his name away for later.

NEW MEXICO STATE: Zach Lofton, G | Senior

The Aggies are as legit as small-conference teams come, having tallied some impressive wins, and Lofton is their go-to guy when buckets are needed. He’s a streaky but potent shooter and was highly efficient in a variety of situations this season. Lofton took a big step forward as a senior, and hopes of a tourney run rest largely on his shoulders.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE: Mike Daum, F/C | Junior

The Jackrabbits are back in the tourney for the third year in a row, and so is Daum, who remains a deadly inside-out scorer and the focal point of the offense. Still a junior, he’s a sure bet to earn a Summer League invite whenever he comes out, and there’s been speculation he could grad transfer and become a hot commodity for high major programs. We showed the nation’s sixth-leading scorer some love earlier this season on our list of mid-major stars to watch.

THIRTEEN SEEDS

MARSHALL: Ajdin Penava, F/C | Junior

Born in Bosnia, Penava is a sneakily interesting pro prospect, averaging an impressive 21 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per-40 while making 33% of his threes. He’s not explosive, but he’s long and skilled at 6’9” and gave Xavier 25 points back in December. Penava is on the fringe, but his production alone warrants a look, and the tourney is a nice opportunity to raise his profile.

CHARLESTON: Joe Chealey, PG | Senior

Chealey was the CAA’s Preseason Player of the Year, and at 6’4” has nice size for his position. His shooting percentages were way down this season, but he can hit tough shots, has a nice frame and degree of athleticism, and gets to the foul line at a high rate. He could be an NBA summer league candidate if things break right.

BUFFALO: CJ Massinburg, G | Junior

Averaging 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists coming into the tourney, Massinburg is the Buffalo player to track. He’s undersized for an off-guard, but he’s a good offensive rebounder and a tough finisher with a quick first step. He earned a first team All-MAC nod and could be a candidate for Portsmouth in a year’s time.

UNC GREENSBORO: Francis Alonso, G | Junior

A three-point specialist from Spain and UNC Greensboro’s leading scorer, Alonso (41.% from downtown) is about as fringy as it gets. Nope, this isn’t a perfect exercise.

FOURTEEN SEEDS

BUCKNELL: Nana Foulland, C | Senior

A legitimately intriguing player at 6’9”, Foulland has nice length and good touch with either hand on the block and was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2017. He’s not exceptionally athletic, but he’s the type of player who can give high-major opponents fits if they don’t have the size to handle him in the post. His offensive game likely isn’t diverse enough for the NBA, but there’s definite talent here.

MONTANA: Ahmaad Rorie, PG | Junior

In his second season with the Grizzlies after transferring from Oregon, Rorie regressed a bit statistically but remained a crucial player. He’s a crafty scorer using ball screens and gives Montana some playmaking juice, rarely leaving the floor as much of the offense runs through him. He has his team poised to play spoiler.

WRIGHT STATE: Loudon Love, C | Freshman

A former high school football player, Love had quite a freshman year, finishing top-20 nationally in defensive rebound rate and posting nine double-doubles. He anchors the Raiders in the post and can be quite a load to deal with. Love is probably too much of a throwback big to be considered a true NBA prospect, but hey—time is on his side.

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN: TJ Holyfield, F | Junior

Though undersized for a big, Holyfield’s defensive mobility, shot-blocking and three-point shooting at least give him a semblance of a modern skill-set. He’s an athletic finisher around the basket and the Lumberjacks’ linchpin on the inside. SFA is the best team in the country when it comes to forcing turnovers, and his ability to protect the basket in an uptempo game is all the more critical.

FIFTEEN SEEDS

GEORGIA STATE: D’Marcus Simonds, G | Sophomore

Make no mistake, Simonds is a legitimate NBA prospect, with a great blend of athletic slashing skills, size and playmaking. He’s coming off a dominant showing (27 PTS, 4 AST, 5 REB) against UT-Arlington to win the Sun Belt tournament and can keep helping himself from here. He’s far from consistent and needs to mature as a player, so another year of school is probably on tap. You’ll be hearing his name again, regardless.

CAL STATE-FULLERTON: Kyle Allman, G | Junior

Allman, a Brooklyn native, sealed Fullerton’s bid with a 26-point showing after leading the conference in scoring (19.4 per game). He’s a 43% shooter from deep and adept at drawing fouls and getting to the line. After dropping 34 on Georgia and 30 on Cal earlier in the season, he’s a player worthy of real defensive attention at the very least.

IONA: E.J. Crawford, F | Sophomore

Crawford was highly efficient in a combo forward role this season (1.109 points per possession placed him in the 94th percentile of scorers nationally) and is already one of the Gaels’ go-to guys. A nimble lefthanded slasher, he has a nice inside-out game and some time to develop his game over the next couple years. He’s the most projectable guy on the roster.

LIPSCOMB: Garrison Matthews, SG | Junior

After demolishing Florida Gulf Coast with a 33-point to win the A-Sun tourney, Matthews and his smooth three-point stroke leads the Bisons into the tournament. He’s a volume threat from outside and drew an inordinate number of fouls this season (7.4 per-40 minutes) on his way to leading the conference in scoring.

SIXTEEN SEEDS

TEXAS SOUTHERN: Trayvon Reed, C | Junior

Reed, who stands 7’2”, finally got some burn this year after transferring in from Auburn. He’s huge and managed some nice statistics (10% block rate and 71% shooting on twos), although you have to consider the competition. His blend of size and production makes him a pro prospect on some level, at least.

UMBC: Jairus Lyles, G | Senior

To call Lyles (who hit the buzzer beater against Vermont to get the Retrievers into the dance) a go-to guy is an understatement. He takes nearly a third of the team’s shots when on the floor. A huge game from Lyles, who started his career at VCU, isn’t out of the question.

NC CENTRAL: Jordan Perkins, PG | Freshman

Perkins’s 36.4% assist rate ranks him among the best in the country, and while some of that has to be scheme-related, it’s certainly an outlier number for a freshman. He could be a name to file away for way, way later.

PENN: AJ Brodeur, F | Sophomore

Back-to-back double-doubles from Brodeur boosted Penn to an Ivy League tourney title, and he’s been an important piece for the Quakers all season, with a strong build and some ability as a passer and shot-blocker. He can be a force on the block and can command double-teams. Improving his three-point shooting is the next step.

RADFORD: Leroy Butts, F | Freshman

After a bizarre, wayward path that included committing to Rutgers, signing with Rhode Island and academic issues that sent him to Coastal Carolina (where he never played), Butts wound up at Radford. The former three-star recruit hardly got off the bench this season, but if you have to pick one prospect here…

LIU-BROOKLYN: Joel Hernandez, G | Senior

Hernandez’s 32 points against Wagner in the NEC final was his fifth straight game with 20-plus points, and he’s paced the Blackbirds all season with high-volume scoring. He’s streaky and not always efficient. Yeah, we’re reaching here.

Scouting the NCAA Tournament: One NBA Prospect for All 68 Teams

If you haven’t noticed by now, it’s March. If you like college basketball, you’ve probably already filled out a bracket and analyzed every obscure statistic in the process. But if you’re an NBA-only hoops fan, maybe you haven’t. Maybe your favorite team is in full tank. Maybe you need a handy guide breaking down which players to watch in the tournament. Or maybe you need one that examines one NBA prospect to watch on every single team.

As the road to the Final Four in San Antonio begins this week, The Crossover’s Front Office is diving deeper, and with the tournament on tap and a ton of talent on display, here are the players most worth keeping an eye on, from the obvious to the extremely obscure. These prospects are not created equal, and the further down the list you go, the weirder this gets. Lots of teams have more than one prospect—this exercise isn’t perfect. But if you need help scouting the tourney, look no further. We’ll start with the top seeds and work our way down.

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ONE SEEDS

VILLANOVA: Mikal Bridges, F | Junior

Bridges broke out in full as a two-way force this season and is pivotal to Villanova’s very real title hopes as both a secondary scorer and a shutdown defender. His ability to defend four positions on the perimeter and score at all three levels has led NBA scouts viewing him as a safe bet to have a long career. The only glaring hole in his game is creating his own shot. He’s looking like a late-lottery selection at this point.

VIRGINIA: De’Andre Hunter, F | Freshman (RS)

It can be difficult for individual talent to shine in Virginia’s well-oiled, disciplined offensive scheme, but Hunter’s glimpses as a 20-year-old redshirt freshman have already made him a draftable player in the eyes of the NBA. With a strong body, great defensive playmaking instincts and nice rotation on his ball, Hunter is the type of player who could swing games in the tournament, and see his stock rise accordingly. UVA hasn’t fully turned him loose, but Hunter’s substantial ability is clear.

KANSAS: Devonte Graham, PG | Senior

The engine that keeps the Jayhawks running, Graham tallied 18 points and 13 assists against West Virginia in the conference title game and is sitting on the cusp of the first round. While he may not evolve into a star, given his struggles as an isolation scorer (he’s shooting under 40% from the field) his contributions as a ballhandler are essential to Kansas’s three-point heavy attack. He profiles nicely as a rotation player and can help separate himself from a good pack of point guards in the middle of the draft.

XAVIER: Trevon Bluiett, SG | Senior

Based on pure production, Bluiett’s résumé is solid: he’s shot 42% from three this season, had a number of huge games and really maximized himself as a college star. Below-average athletic ability—not talent—has always been the issue with him. He may not be able to defend his position at the NBA level, but one of his heat-check games makes Xavier a threat to beat anyone on a given day.

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TWO SEEDS

DUKE: Marvin Bagley, PF | Freshman

Although Bagley is unlikely to be the draft’s top choice, he’s certainly lived up to the hype when it comes to numbers, putting together a prolific one-and-done season and propping up an elite offense. His offensive ceiling and aggressive rebounding are inarguably intriguing, but he’s been a ball-stopper in the post and a ball-watcher on defense. He has a ways to go in terms of learning the game in order to evolve into a star. Regardless, he’ll be one of the first names off the board in June.

NORTH CAROLINA: Cameron Johnson, F | Junior

In his first season with the Heels after grad transferring from Pitt, Johnson has been a key complementary floor-spacer and scorer, though he runs hot and cold. He has appealing size for a shooter and one year of eligibility left. Though he’s already 22, he may want to come back, diversify his offensive production and become a more consistent threat next season. But with his tools, Johnson will end up someone’s 3-and-D dart throw at worst.

CINCINNATI: Jacob Evans, G/F | Junior

Evans’s game embodies Cincy’s hard-nosed philosophy. He provides physical defense and good anticipation coupled with an offensive game that’s effective, despite being sort of a mixed bag. He can be highly inconsistent and does nothing on a truly elite level, but if his 40% three-point clip translates to the NBA, he should be able to fill a useful supporting role. The Bearcats are Final Four contenders.

PURDUE: Carsen Edwards, PG | Sophomore

The Boilermakers will go as Edwards does in March, and his plucky, high energy game has begun to turn heads among NBA scouts. He’s a dangerous three-point shooter off screens and constant threat to attack off the bounce despite being undersized. Edwards plays with a lot of poise for a sophomore, and has an appealing toughness about him that can be contagious. He’s the primary shot-creator for Purdue, and is a prospect of interest, though more likely for next year’s draft.

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THREE SEEDS

MICHIGAN STATE: Jaren Jackson, C | Freshman

Jackson struggled at the Big Ten tournament, but will be among the first six or seven players drafted in June thanks to his defensive versatility and clear offensive potential. He’s inherited high expectations with his flashes of brilliance, able to shoot from outside and displaying hints of ability off the dribble. On the other side, Jackson blocks and alters shots, defends ably in space and is a great fit for the modern NBA. To make it to San Antonio, the Spartans need him to step up.

MICHIGAN: Moritz Wagner, C | Junior

After helping guide the Wolverines to nine straight wins and a Big Ten tournament title, Wagner is making another case for himself as a prospect after earning a combine invite last year. His variety of offensive skills at center stands out, as he’s able to pick and pop, hit threes and attack closeouts. His defense and rebounding are another story. Wagner is likely in the second–round mix if he comes out this year.

TEXAS TECH: Zhaire Smith, SG | Freshman

A virtual unknown coming into the season, Smith emerged as the standout prospect on a tough Red Raiders team. He’s had his fair share of nice moments, capable of highlight-reel athletic plays and explosive dunks while displaying nice agility on defense. Smith doesn’t create much of his own offense at all right now, which is not insignificant. But as a high-energy utility guy, he’s off to a good start. He’s probably best off returning for another year, but is an intriguing name for the 2019 draft.

TENNESSEE: Kyle Alexander, C | Junior

Though Alexander only plays about half his team’s minutes, his shot-blocking presence and ability on both ends of the glass can be a major game-changer. At 6’11” with a 7’5” wingspan and 9’2” standing reach, well, you can see why the NBA is interested. He’s still a project, probably for next season, but his impressive tools could make him a nice defensive-oriented role player in due time.

FOUR SEEDS

ARIZONA: DeAndre Ayton, C | Freshman

The likely No. 1 pick in June’s draft and rail-to-rail the top prospect on our Big Board all season, Ayton was downright transcendent on Saturday night before the tournament, leading the Wildcats to a conference title with 32 points and 18 rebounds against USC. It goes without saying he’s playing his best basketball at the right time, able to dominate with a rare combination of physicality and skill. The Wildcats have been inconsistent defensively all season, but if Ayton is at his best, and it seems he will be, they’ll be an extremely difficult out. Enjoy his final college games.

WICHITA STATE: Landry Shamet, PG | Sophomore

Shamet’s savvy playmaking and knockdown shooting (44% from outside) have him on the cusp of the first round, and have Wichita State hoping for another deep tournament run. He’s not an elite athlete, but has few holes in his game otherwise. He’s an extremely efficient scorer and quality jump shooter with nice size for a ball-handler. He can really help his stock if the Shockers get hot—a scenario that has historical precedent.

GONZAGA: Rui Hachimura, F | Sophomore

Hachimura has come off the bench all season, but he’s a huge spark when he’s playing aggressive and is a potential X-factor for another deep March run for the Zags. His body, athleticism and scoring instincts are strengths, but his jumper (4 of 24 from three all year) is a major work in progress. He may be best suited for the 2019 draft, but don’t rule out a breakout tournament making things interesting.

AUBURN: Chuma Okeke, F | Freshman

Okeke has supplied the Tigers with a bit of everything this season, averaging a double-double per-40 minutes and leading the team with a 41.8% three-point clip. With Anfernee McLemore sidelined, Okeke will need to hold down the interior and offer some balance, and he’ll have a major platform to raise his profile. The former four-star recruit is an interesting long-term name to track.

FIVE SEEDS

KENTUCKY: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, PG | Freshman

Less-heralded than some of his freshman peers, Gilgeous-Alexander has been a revelation, emerging mid-season as the Wildcats’ steadying force. He has great size for his position, fantastic defensive instincts and a good feel for finding the open man. His jump shot is still questionable, but his sense of pace and creativity attacking the rim have really come on as strengths. He’s a likely first-rounder and can continue helping himself here, on the heels of a sublime SEC tourney showing.

WEST VIRGINIA: Jevon Carter, PG | Senior

The heart of the Mountaineers’ high-pressure scheme, Carter is already viewed as a plus–NBA defender (3.2 steals per-40). He has the mentality and chops to step in as a specialist early in his career, but needs to round out his offensive game and continue shooting threes at a quality clip to make it happen. He’s a gritty player, and it’s easy to fall in love with Carter’s intangibles. West Virginia’s offense will often sink or swim with him.

OHIO STATE: Keita Bates-Diop, PF | RS Junior

Opinions are mixed on Bates-Diop’s NBA potential, but he’s been outstanding as the focal point of the Buckeyes’ offense and a major reason for the program’s quick revival under Chris Holtmann. He can step out and shoot the three or utilize his length and footwork in the mid-post, making him a tough cover. He’s the key to Ohio State’s hopes for a deep run.

CLEMSON: Elijah Thomas, F/C | Junior

The Tigers’ best pro prospect, senior forward Donte Grantham, is sidelined with an ACL injury. They’re thin up front as a result, and the 6’9” Thomas, an excellent rebounder and shot-blocker, is the key to winning the interior battle. He needs another year of college to really emerge as a prospect, but his toughness and defensive numbers stand out.

SIX SEEDS

MIAMI: Lonnie Walker, SG | Freshman

An eye-popping athlete, Walker excels at attacking the basket and making acrobatic plays and will be a first-round pick should he turn pro. His contributions have been inconsistent and his overall offensive feel needs to progress, but his potential as a slasher is evident, and he has the strength and length to be a useful defender on the wing. A breakout tournament would help his case as a lottery pick.

FLORIDA: Jalen Hudson, SG | Junior

Hudson became more than just a three-point specialist this season, excelling in spot-up situations and attacking closeouts. He’s capable of swinging games when he gets hot from outside (41% from three) and has to be accounted for at all times. Defensively he’s not a standout. The Gators are reliant on their potent attack, and will need him to do some damage to punch their ticket to the second weekend.

TCU: Kenrich Williams, F | Senior

Though Williams is already 23, his well-rounded contributions and overall feel for the game haven’t gone unnoticed by scouts, and he’s a potential creative sleeper pick late in this year’s draft. He’s the glue that holds the Horned Frogs together, pacing the team on the glass, shooting 40% from outside, tallying up assists as a secondary playmaker and defending a wide range of opponents. He’s sneaky good.

HOUSTON: Rob Gray Jr., PG | Senior

Gray’s natural scoring talent and improved setup skills have Houston looking like a threat to reach the second weekend. While he regressed as a three-point shooter, his overall offensive profile remains strong, particularly for a 6’1” guard. He turns 24 before draft night and will likely have to take a long route to the NBA, but a good showing in the tournament certainly won’t hurt.

SEVEN SEEDS

TEXAS A&M: Robert Williams, C | Sophomore

Blessed with tantalizing physical ability but a frustrating habit of disappearing on offense, Williams will be a first–round pick in June but is far from a sure thing. He plays above the rim as easily as anyone in college hoops and can really dominate the glass, but is a tertiary scoring option for the Aggies and often fades entirely when not involved offensively. It’s not the best situation for him, but his team needs him to get it going.

ARKANSAS: Daniel Gafford, C | Freshman

Capable of vicious slams and out-of-nowhere rejections, Gafford burst onto the scene as a one-and-done candidate after coming in as a lesser-known recruit. He’s got an NBA frame and is a nice fit as a rim-protecting dive man at the next level, finishing top-20 nationally in block rate and shooting 61% from the field. His offensive skills are rudimentary and he’s a poor free throw shooter, but there’s a lot to like about the framework of his overall game.

NEVADA: Caleb Martin, G/F | Junior

Not to be confused with identical twin and teammate Cody (you’ll confuse them anyway), Caleb is regarded as the superior prospect to his brother. He was outstanding in just about every type of offensive situation this year, showing some playmaking ability and good scoring instincts using ball screens. Teams are figuring out what to make of his massive uptick in three-point shooting, but Martin has an outside chance at getting drafted either this year or next.

RHODE ISLAND: Jared Terrell, G | Senior

A burly ballhandler, Terrell paces the Rams offensively, shooting 41% from deep this season. He only shot 45% on two-pointers, but his mix of size and smarts has some appeal, and he was a useful secondary playmaker. It wouldn’t be a surprise if he earned an invite to Portsmouth.

EIGHT SEEDS

MISSOURI: Michael Porter Jr., F | Freshman

It’s unclear how healthy he actually is, but Porter Jr. has the talent to swing a game or two in the tournament. His decision to return from back surgery will give scouts a useful window into where he’s at physically and mentally, although his first game back against Georgia yielded mixed results. Watch him closely, hope he stays healthy, and don’t hold a poor performance against him. Barring bad medicals, he’s still going to be an early draft selection.

CREIGHTON: Khyri Thomas, SG | Junior

With a strong body and ideal length for his position, Thomas made his name as a high-end defensive player and coupled that with 42.5% shooting from deep. He’s an explosive athlete and an obvious candidate to fill an NBA supporting role, with the main knocks on him being shot creation and change of direction off the bounce. Marcus Foster leads the Bluejays in scoring, but Thomas is the better long-term prospect and a potential first-rounder.

VIRGINIA TECH: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, G | Freshman

Alexander-Walker was a hot name coming into the season as a potential one-and-done, but despite some nice skills he’s far from ready physically or mentally to make the NBA leap. He’s a big, strong, fundamental combo guard with a good understanding of the game, but can be extremely passive and doesn’t always pop at a glance. The Hokies win by committee, but it would be nice to see him take a step forward when it matters.

SETON HALL: Desi Rodriguez, SF | Senior

Rodriguez is a capable, hard-nosed scorer likely to receive interest from the NBA in summer league. Though his body needs some work and he missed time with injuries, he can be a load when he gets going toward the basket. He’s a dangerous college matchup, though at 6’6” it’s unlikely all of his strengths translate at the next level. He’s a fun watch when he has it going and plays with a definite edge.

NINE SEEDS

ALABAMA: Collin Sexton, PG | Freshman

Sexton’s mini-tear through the SEC tourney has become a bit of a storyline, and he’s one of the few players in the tournament capable of swinging a game with his solo act. The by-himself nature of his game is where scouts’ opinions are split. Whether Sexton can become more of a setup man for others will help determine his eventual role, but he’s a likely lottery pick thanks to his scoring ability and toughness.

NC STATE: Omer Yurtseven, C | Sophomore

Undoubtedly the Wolfpack’s top pro prospect, Yurtseven is a frustrating player to watch at times but has a lot of talent as a low-post scorer. His body improved this season and he’s a capable finisher with either hand, but lacks much on-court fire and doesn’t play physically, struggling to get to the foul line as much as he probably should. He earned a combine invite a year ago, but his stock has trended down since.

KANSAS STATE: Dean Wade, PF | Junior

The other D-Wade finished top-10 in the Big 12 in scoring, rebounding, steals and three-point percentage. His versatility and size are certainly interesting from an NBA perspective, and while he was held out of the conference tourney semis due to a foot injury, he’s expected to be healthy in time to face Creighton. If he’s out, keep an eye on Barry Brown instead.

FLORIDA STATE: Phil Cofer, F | Senior

There’s no surefire NBA player on the Seminoles’ roster, but Cofer has the physical ability to compete at the next level, standing 6’8” with long arms and a thick upper body. He should be a better rebounder, and it’s doubtful his three-point shooting translates fully to the longer line, but a summer league invite certainly isn’t out of the question.

TEN SEEDS

TEXAS: Mohamed Bamba, C | Freshman

The most imposing shot-blocker in college hoops, Bamba returned from his toe injury during the Big 12 tourney and will have had another week to recover by the time Texas faces Nevada. When he’s at his best, it’s must-watch basketball, and his sheer length and developing skill set makes him a coveted draft prospect. He’s projected to be a top-five pick.

OKLAHOMA: Trae Young, PG | Freshman

Young’s historic first half of the season tailed off drastically as defenses began to key on him, but he’s still a highly dangerous three-point shooter and playmaker and will make opponents’ film sessions miserable, beginning with Rhode Island. He’ll be a lottery pick regardless, but this will likely be his last chance to get loose as a Sooner, and should make for great theater.

BUTLER: Kamar Baldwin, PG | Sophomore

There’s no high-end pro talent on the Bulldogs’ roster, but Baldwin’s youth, toughness and scoring ability make him a player to follow over the next couple seasons. He’s a good rebounder and tough defender, but regressed as a three-point shooter while taking on a bigger share of the offense this season.

PROVIDENCE: Kyron Cartwright, PG | Senior

After sparking the Friars to a surprise run to the Big East finals, Cartwright will be pressed to keep that momentum rolling in the tournament. He’s just 5’11” and can play a bit out of control at times, but he’s a good passer, capable shooter and adds a degree of unpredictability to an otherwise uninspiring rotation. He may have punched his ticket to some NBA workouts, but is still a long shot.

ELEVEN SEEDS

UCLA: Aaron Holiday, PG | Junior

The younger brother of NBA guards Jrue and Justin, Holiday has been on a tear as a scorer of late, potent from outside (43%) and a smart facilitator who knows how to pick his spots. His lack of ideal height and explosiveness creates some limitations, but he’s played his way into first-round conversations among scouts. A big tournament could really help him.

SYRACUSE: Tyus Battle, SG | Sophomore

Seen as a potential second-round pick, Battle can fill up a box score, but he takes a lot of bad shots, and his numbers are a bit inflated by playing essentially 40 minutes per game all season. Some of it is situational, as Syracuse chooses to run an inordinate amount of offense through him. He’s athletic and can definitely score the ball, and placed in a different context will be worth re-assessing.

SAN DIEGO STATE: Malik Pope, F | Senior

A skilled 6’10” combo forward, Pope has been on NBA radars seemingly forever. A history of knee issues have hampered his college career. He’s inconsistent as a scorer and plays as more of a big for the Aztecs, but rebounds well and has the ability to stroke threes. Given his unique tools, he’ll end up with a chance to make the league. On the heels of a surprise run in the Mountain West tourney, Pope has a nice opportunity to leave a final impression before heading into pre-draft workouts.

ST. BONAVENTURE: Jaylen Adams, PG | Senior

If you want a sneaky guard-anchored team that can pull an upset or two, look no further than the Bonnies. Adams is a heady playmaker and deadly three-point shooter who has a chance to get drafted in the second round, having displayed growth and consistency over his four years in the A-10. He’s a fun watch, and could carve out a backup role at the next level.

ARIZONA STATE: Tra Holder, PG | Senior

The Sun Devils snuck into the tournament thanks largely to Holder, who led them to both their pivotal résumé wins with 40 points against Xavier and 30 against Kansas. He’s probably too small to make it long-term, but he’s a good decision-maker with the quickness to get to the foul line and get himself open off the dribble. He’s still an NBA longshot, but he’s the kind of guy you want to root for.

LOYOLA-CHICAGO: Donte Ingram, F | Senior

A crucial role player for a Ramblers squad with legitimate second-weekend potential, Ingram is a useful floor-spacer and all-conference player with a nice level of versatility to. He’s smooth, has a nice lefthanded stroke and led Loyola in rebounding, too. His effective, low-maintenance game should play overseas somewhere.

TWELVE SEEDS

DAVIDSON: Peyton Aldridge, F | Senior

The Wildcats are one of the hottest teams around after rolling to an A-10 tournament title, and Aldridge’s superbly efficient scoring is a big reason why. He’s a deadly shooter from outside, a willing rebounder and makes few mistakes, making him a great candidate for a Portsmouth invite and a shot to make the NBA. He lacks a ton of athleticism at 6’8”, but he’s definitely talented and makes Davidson an interesting sleeper pick.

MURRAY STATE: Ja Morant, G | Freshman

Morant, an 18-year-old true freshman, logged a massive chunk of Murray State’s minutes this season as a lead guard. He’s got a long build with nice change-of-direction ability off the dribble and averaged 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in an inarguably impressive start to his career. File his name away for later.

NEW MEXICO STATE: Zach Lofton, G | Senior

The Aggies are as legit as small-conference teams come, having tallied some impressive wins, and Lofton is their go-to guy when buckets are needed. He’s a streaky but potent shooter and was highly efficient in a variety of situations this season. Lofton took a big step forward as a senior, and hopes of a tourney run rest largely on his shoulders.

SOUTH DAKOTA STATE: Mike Daum, F/C | Junior

The Jackrabbits are back in the tourney for the third year in a row, and so is Daum, who remains a deadly inside-out scorer and the focal point of the offense. Still a junior, he’s a sure bet to earn a Summer League invite whenever he comes out, and there’s been speculation he could grad transfer and become a hot commodity for high major programs. We showed the nation’s sixth-leading scorer some love earlier this season on our list of mid-major stars to watch.

THIRTEEN SEEDS

MARSHALL: Ajdin Penava, F/C | Junior

Born in Bosnia, Penava is a sneakily interesting pro prospect, averaging an impressive 21 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.2 blocks per-40 while making 33% of his threes. He’s not explosive, but he’s long and skilled at 6’9” and gave Xavier 25 points back in December. Penava is on the fringe, but his production alone warrants a look, and the tourney is a nice opportunity to raise his profile.

CHARLESTON: Joe Chealey, PG | Senior

Chealey was the CAA’s Preseason Player of the Year, and at 6’4” has nice size for his position. His shooting percentages were way down this season, but he can hit tough shots, has a nice frame and degree of athleticism, and gets to the foul line at a high rate. He could be an NBA summer league candidate if things break right.

BUFFALO: CJ Massinburg, G | Junior

Averaging 16.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists coming into the tourney, Massinburg is the Buffalo player to track. He’s undersized for an off-guard, but he’s a good offensive rebounder and a tough finisher with a quick first step. He earned a first team All-MAC nod and could be a candidate for Portsmouth in a year’s time.

UNC GREENSBORO: Francis Alonso, G | Junior

A three-point specialist from Spain and UNC Greensboro’s leading scorer, Alonso (41.% from downtown) is about as fringy as it gets. Nope, this isn’t a perfect exercise.

FOURTEEN SEEDS

BUCKNELL: Nana Foulland, C | Senior

A legitimately intriguing player at 6’9”, Foulland has nice length and good touch with either hand on the block and was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2017. He’s not exceptionally athletic, but he’s the type of player who can give high-major opponents fits if they don’t have the size to handle him in the post. His offensive game likely isn’t diverse enough for the NBA, but there’s definite talent here.

MONTANA: Ahmaad Rorie, PG | Junior

In his second season with the Grizzlies after transferring from Oregon, Rorie regressed a bit statistically but remained a crucial player. He’s a crafty scorer using ball screens and gives Montana some playmaking juice, rarely leaving the floor as much of the offense runs through him. He has his team poised to play spoiler.

WRIGHT STATE: Loudon Love, C | Freshman

A former high school football player, Love had quite a freshman year, finishing top-20 nationally in defensive rebound rate and posting nine double-doubles. He anchors the Raiders in the post and can be quite a load to deal with. Love is probably too much of a throwback big to be considered a true NBA prospect, but hey—time is on his side.

STEPHEN F. AUSTIN: TJ Holyfield, F | Junior

Though undersized for a big, Holyfield’s defensive mobility, shot-blocking and three-point shooting at least give him a semblance of a modern skill-set. He’s an athletic finisher around the basket and the Lumberjacks’ linchpin on the inside. SFA is the best team in the country when it comes to forcing turnovers, and his ability to protect the basket in an uptempo game is all the more critical.

FIFTEEN SEEDS

GEORGIA STATE: D’Marcus Simonds, G | Sophomore

Make no mistake, Simonds is a legitimate NBA prospect, with a great blend of athletic slashing skills, size and playmaking. He’s coming off a dominant showing (27 PTS, 4 AST, 5 REB) against UT-Arlington to win the Sun Belt tournament and can keep helping himself from here. He’s far from consistent and needs to mature as a player, so another year of school is probably on tap. You’ll be hearing his name again, regardless.

CAL STATE-FULLERTON: Kyle Allman, G | Junior

Allman, a Brooklyn native, sealed Fullerton’s bid with a 26-point showing after leading the conference in scoring (19.4 per game). He’s a 43% shooter from deep and adept at drawing fouls and getting to the line. After dropping 34 on Georgia and 30 on Cal earlier in the season, he’s a player worthy of real defensive attention at the very least.

IONA: E.J. Crawford, F | Sophomore

Crawford was highly efficient in a combo forward role this season (1.109 points per possession placed him in the 94th percentile of scorers nationally) and is already one of the Gaels’ go-to guys. A nimble lefthanded slasher, he has a nice inside-out game and some time to develop his game over the next couple years. He’s the most projectable guy on the roster.

LIPSCOMB: Garrison Matthews, SG | Junior

After demolishing Florida Gulf Coast with a 33-point to win the A-Sun tourney, Matthews and his smooth three-point stroke leads the Bisons into the tournament. He’s a volume threat from outside and drew an inordinate number of fouls this season (7.4 per-40 minutes) on his way to leading the conference in scoring.

SIXTEEN SEEDS

TEXAS SOUTHERN: Trayvon Reed, C | Junior

Reed, who stands 7’2”, finally got some burn this year after transferring in from Auburn. He’s huge and managed some nice statistics (10% block rate and 71% shooting on twos), although you have to consider the competition. His blend of size and production makes him a pro prospect on some level, at least.

UMBC: Jairus Lyles, G | Senior

To call Lyles (who hit the buzzer beater against Vermont to get the Retrievers into the dance) a go-to guy is an understatement. He takes nearly a third of the team’s shots when on the floor. A huge game from Lyles, who started his career at VCU, isn’t out of the question.

NC CENTRAL: Jordan Perkins, PG | Freshman

Perkins’s 36.4% assist rate ranks him among the best in the country, and while some of that has to be scheme-related, it’s certainly an outlier number for a freshman. He could be a name to file away for way, way later.

PENN: AJ Brodeur, F | Sophomore

Back-to-back double-doubles from Brodeur boosted Penn to an Ivy League tourney title, and he’s been an important piece for the Quakers all season, with a strong build and some ability as a passer and shot-blocker. He can be a force on the block and can command double-teams. Improving his three-point shooting is the next step.

RADFORD: Leroy Butts, F | Freshman

After a bizarre, wayward path that included committing to Rutgers, signing with Rhode Island and academic issues that sent him to Coastal Carolina (where he never played), Butts wound up at Radford. The former three-star recruit hardly got off the bench this season, but if you have to pick one prospect here…

LIU-BROOKLYN: Joel Hernandez, G | Senior

Hernandez’s 32 points against Wagner in the NEC final was his fifth straight game with 20-plus points, and he’s paced the Blackbirds all season with high-volume scoring. He’s streaky and not always efficient. Yeah, we’re reaching here.